"I'm so glad you didn't have to die, okay maybe glad isn't
a strong enough a word oomph" Gabrielle said as her words were cut off
by a kiss from her warrior princess, a kiss that quickly consumed them both with
a passion neither of them expected. When they finally broke off the kiss both
of them were breathless, lightheaded and totally turned on.

"Gods what you can do to me with a kiss, and before you say it I know
it's one of the many skills" Gabrielle quipped earning her a slight
tickle from the warrior princess. Both of them were glad to be alive and both
wanted to find some place to set up camp so they could continue trading passionate
kisses.

"We should definitely find somewhere to set up camp, that kiss you gave
me before with the water, all I could think about was getting back to you so
I could kiss you again after I killed Yodoshi, then the sun was beginning to
set, I couldn't believe I was going to die and never feel your lips on
mine again, never hear your heart beating in time with mine, I have never felt
so happy to be alive" Xena told Gabrielle kissing her again as tears welled
in both of their eyes as they thought of what they almost lost.

Setting up camp took all of a quarter of a candlemark as neither was hungry
after the day's events at least not for food. Both felt an irresistible
need to connect with the other, to make love to the other and affirm that they
really were alive. As their passion crested, they felt their souls join as one
again and they both slept contentedly knowing that they were never going to be
parted again.

Morning came too early for Xena, being an early riser by nature, she had started
to wake just before dawn, she looked over at Gabrielle, as her awareness grew,
and began to think of what she had been going to ask Gabrielle to do. Gods
I was going to ask her to go on without me, could I if it were Gabrielle dying,
no I couldn't have gone on, she means everything to me, she is my life,
Xena thought sadly as she realised that she had once again been willing to put
the greater good above Gabrielle. When am I going to learn that she is more
important than the greater good, I know she would have told me she didn't
care that I meant more to her than the greater good, but I would have still gone
ahead and let the sun set, I would have left her alone, without me, how could
I have been so selfish? Xena asked herself feeling anger at herself for
what she would have put Gabrielle through.

"Hey good looking what you thinking about sweetheart you look so sad" Gabrielle
asked not wanting to be awake but something had made her realise Xena was upset,
and her heart had immediately woken her from sleep.

"Gabrielle I would have asked you to let me go, to let me stay dead,
if Eli hadn't come along, you'd be alone and I would have left you,
I can't believe I was going to put the greater good ahead of you again" Xena
told Gabrielle tears springing to her eyes as she thought of what she had been
going to ask Gabrielle.

"Xena stop it okay, you didn't, you're alive can't
we just revel in that fact, instead of thinking of what might have happened,
Xena I know you and if you could have stayed with me you would have, I love you
and I would never have been alone, don't you remember your promise?" Gabrielle
told Xena, hating what she could see her soul mate doing to herself, she loved
Xena and knew that she would never stop loving her, that if Xena died, it would
not be long before she would too, her heart would give out without the woman
she loved.

"Gabrielle, can we go to the Amazons?" Xena asked knowing this
would surprise her lover but she needed to make this up to Gabrielle, she wanted
to spend a few moons just resting and loving her bard, she also wanted to do
some research on Amazon joining ceremonies, it was time they made a commitment,
a public commitment to each other. She had been wanting to ask Gabrielle to marry
her for a while now, had been thinking of asking her when they had come back
from dying on the crosses, but then Eve had come along and they'd gotten
so involved with trying to protect Eve from the Gods, that she'd never
been able to find the right time. It time I bit the bullet and made an honest
woman of the woman I love she thought knowing that she couldn't wait
any longer, if anything this experience with death had taught her that she couldn't
take her existence on this earth for granted any longer, and she couldn't
take their relationship for granted any longer either. Gabrielle deserves
better than that, she deserves all of me, I gave her the final part of my knowledge
before I died, I have to ask her, give myself to her she thought as the
decision formed in her mind, and she resolved to ask Gabrielle before they reached
the Amazons.

"You know I'd go anywhere with you Xena but why the Amazons?" Gabrielle
asked wondering what was going on in her soul mate's beautiful head. Xena
just didn't ask to go and visit the Amazons, she always has to be on her
guard while she is there and this just didn't fit, what are you up
to my love? Gabrielle thought curiously.

"We need some time for us, ever since Eve came along there hasn't been
much time for just you and me, I want to spend some time just loving you, with
the Amazons we won't have to worry about people attacking us all the time, we
can just relax and spend sometime concentrating on us and our love" Xena
told Gabrielle bringing her lips to meet her bards reveling in the sweet taste
of her skin, feeling her heart confirm her decision to ask Gabrielle to marry
her. She broke off the kiss to see tears in her bard's beautiful blue green eyes
and smiled knowing she owed someone out there a big thank you for saving them
and stopping her from having to go through staying dead. She was about to kiss
Gabrielle again when she felt a presence with them and whirled around to see
Akemi standing before them clothed in white silk.

"What do you want with us?" Gabrielle asked a little angrily this
girl had lied to Xena about her needing to stay dead to save the souls of the
40,000 villagers from Huiguchi, an act that made Gabrielle very suspicious of
the girl who had broken Xena's heart once.

"I came to apologise and explain, it's part of my redemption, I- please
let me explain" Akemi asked her eyes watering with tears ready to fall.
The look on Gabrielle's face was something she had expected but to see Xena look
at her with disgust almost broke her resolve to tell them everything.

"You had better have a good explanation for almost breaking us apart" Xena
told her coldly, almost all the feelings she had ever felt for this girl had
left her when she had heard that Akemi had wanted her to stay dead for selfish
reasons, reasons that weren't true.

" I can't say my explanation will be what you want to hear, and I want
to say I am truly sorry, I never realised this would effect you both so badly" Akemi
told them both, leaving Gabrielle and Xena feeling confused at her words.

" Abba, Eli's God gave me permission to tell you this, he thought it
would help you understand just how special your bond is and how important it
is that it not be broken, a lesson I wish I had learnt before" Akemi told
them, thankful neither of them were jumping in to ask questions, both of them
seemed content to listen which made things a little easier for Akemi.

" Xena you really did die, Abba turned back time and stopped you from
making that mistake, stopped my selfishness from breaking your connection, when
you died, Gabrielle fell apart, she was slowly dying inside, and you refused
to cross over to Elysia until Gabrielle had died as well, neither of you realising
that Xena's death was causing the death of your connection and possibly your
souls, neither of you being able to survive without the other" Akemi told
them tears coming to her eyes as she realised again how much pain she had caused
them and thankful that neither of them remembered feeling that pain.

"The reason I told you, you had to stay dead Xena was because I was
jealous, I loved you first and I couldn't, wouldn't believe that Gabrielle was
your true soul mate, I thought if you died you would come to me and I could comfort
you and then you would be mine, I was wrong Xena, when you died you didn't set
foot inside any eternity, you forced yourself to stay between the land of the
living and the dead, risking the destruction of your soul to be with Gabrielle,
instead of getting what I wanted, I almost destroyed the souls of two of the
most courageous women, I will ever know" Akemi told them seeing the tears
in Gabrielle's eyes as she realised just how much Xena would have given up for
her, to be with her, as she moved her body as close to Xena's as possible.

" Thank you Akemi for telling us this, I accept your apology, but as
to whether I can forgive you, you almost destroyed not only my soul but the soul
of the most beautiful compassionate woman I've had the pleasure of loving, I
don't know if I can forgive that, what you did was selfish, just as what you
asked me to do years ago was selfish, I could never love a person like that" Xena
said quietly not looking at Akemi, but at her bard feeling joy that her bard
was one of the most unselfish people she knew and thankful that their love hadn't
perished along with their souls. Maybe now she knows just how far I will
go to keep that promise, I could never leave her, Oh gods how I love her Xena
thought tears coming to her eyes as she thought of the bard slowly dying inside
from grief over losing Xena.

" I've often considered myself to be a very forgiving person, I even
forgave Callisto after she took so much from me, but Akemi she never tried to
destroy our love, she never came in between that, you forced Xena to make a decision
she should never have had to think about making, you caused unnecessary pain
for us and for yourself, let it go Akemi, whether we forgive you for what you
did, doesn't matter, it's that you know what you did was wrong and are willing
to atone for it" Gabrielle told Akemi, knowing she could never forgive
someone for trying to take Xena from her, for deliberately trying to destroy
the most important thing in their lives, their love.

"I couldn't have said that better myself" Eli said as he appeared
to the trio. He looked at his two favourite women, taking in their closeness
and smiled knowing everything was as it should be with the two.

"Eli what brings you back to us?" Xena asked curiously knowing
the man she admired so much wouldn't be here without a reason.

"Two things actually, Xena, Gabrielle I know what Akemi did to you both
was unforgivable but you both need to look inside your hearts and forgive her,
whatever you decide, Akemi has atoned for her actions in trying to destroy your
love, but I know the power of forgiveness and I know the power of love, those
two combined are an unbreakable force for good" Eli told them letting his
words wash over them trusting them both to do the right thing, but he was surprised
to hear Xena speak up first.

"You are right Eli, if we could both learn to forgive Callisto how can
I not forgive Akemi, thank you Eli once again you always seem to have a knack
for showing up at the right time" Xena told him knowing he would know she
was referring to the time she stood poised to kill Ares before she saw his face
and finally saw the reason for his death and had let go of the pain and anger
that had been welling up inside her at the death of a man she respected more
than any other man.

" We forgive you Akemi, thank you for apologising to us and helping
us see how important our love is" Gabrielle told Akemi, feeling very proud
of her warrior princess, seeing her again prove just how much she had changed,
forgiveness didn't come easily for Xena, it was something she had needed to learn
to stop her need for vengeance at the pain people caused her, Gabrielle had been
truly shocked when Xena had accepted Callisto's soul into her child's body, by
the forgiveness she had seen in those beautiful blue eyes welling with tears.
Thinking of that time reminded her of how beautiful Xena had looked heavily pregnant
with Eve, and how much she would like to see her warrior pregnant again, except
this time with their child.

"Thank you both of you, I know I don't deserve it but thank you all
the same, may no one ever come in between your love again" Akemi said as
she faded from their view, leaving Xena and Gabrielle alone with Eli. Curiosity
got the better of Xena as she remembered Eli had said he was here for two things,
and she decided she really needed to know what this other thing was.

"So Eli you told us you where here for two things, what's the other
thing, come on spill" Xena asked smiling to show Eli she was happy he was
here, as she wrapped an arm around her bard. Gabrielle leaned into the contact
and both sat their waiting feeling a feeling of contentment wash over them.

"I came to tell you that Abba has decided to give you both a gift, he
is truly sorry for not stepping in earlier with the whole Akemi thing, even though
he didn't feel he could interfere" Eli explained nervously, not knowing
how either of them were going to take his little announcement.

"We are just glad to be together, Abba, your God He didn't need to do
anything for us" Xena asked wondering if she was going to like this gift,
in the past both she and Gabrielle had been recipients of gifts from the Greek
Gods and none of them had turned out to be exactly pleasant.

"Abba wants you to have children, just hear me out Xena okay" Eli
said sternly as Xena tried to interrupt. He knew what was coming was going to
further irritate Xena and shock the pants off them both, so he smiled and continued.

"He has decided to give you both the power to create children that are
from both of you, when you are physically intimate, your essences will combine
and if both of you desire it, one of you will conceive" Eli told them,
seeing the shock on their faces, and then the look of joy on Gabrielle's face,
he looked over at Xena to try to read her face but only saw a brief smile display
on her face before her cool mask was back, in that moment he knew, that Xena
knew there was more to this.

"Ah there is more to this, Abba asked me to decide which one of you
would have the first baby, it will be soon, and I made a choice, it was so incredibly
hard and one or both of you might be angry with me for making the choice but
know that I thought long and hard on this, it was a very agonising decision for
me, one of the hardest choices I've ever had to make, I choose Xena" Eli
told them, looking anxiously at them both to see their reactions, and saw the
shock and irritation he was expecting on Xena's face, but when he looked at Gabrielle
all he saw was a brilliant smile. In that moment he knew he had made the right
choice.